Fire extinguishing apparatus



May 5, 1931. P. G. M GREGOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1,1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l y 5 INVENTOR. 622:; A. 3%

ATTORNEYS.

May 5, 1931. P. e. M GREGOR I FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Fil ed Nov.1, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 f INVENTOR.

BY 5. a. T ATTORNE 5.

May 5, 1931. P. G. M GREGOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1,1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

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. B I ATTORNEY.

b 8 mm g L J MW 0 Patented May 5, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PETERGRAHAM MAOGBEGOR, OF PEQUANNOCK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO PYRENEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF DELA-wann FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Application filed November 1, 1927.Serial No. 230,239.

This invention relates to fire extinguishin apparatus particularlyadapted to be install upon and, used in connection with motion pictureprojectors, although it is capable of other use.

When a motion picture film of the inflammable type takes fire, it is ofvital importance that the fire be extinguished at the earliest possiblemoment, because the process of combustion liberates oxygen at a ratesutficient to support combustion if the fire continues for anyappreciable length of time, thereby making it practically impossible toextinguish it until the film has been destroyed. The general object ofthe present invention, therefore, may be said to be the providing of anew and improved fire extinguishing apparatus which will automaticallyfunction when a film 1s ignited to extinguish the fire in the shortestpossible period of time after it commences.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevation of a motionpicture projection apparatus, having the apparatus embodying theinvention applied thereto Figure 2 is a fragmental side elevation of theupper part of the machine, as viewed from the rear in Figure 1; Figure 3is a fragmental view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of thereservoir for the fire extinguishing liquid, as viewed from. the left inFigure 1; Figure 4 is a detailed vertical sectional view of a releasableflash-pan or cage and valve mechanism; Figure 5 is a plan view of theflash-pan, as viewed fromabove I in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a detailedview showing in section and in elevation a pressure actuated switchoperating mechanism; Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of thecartridge holder and cartridge puncturing mechanism; Figure 8 is a viewin elevation of the holder and puncturing mechanism, as viewed from theright in Figure 7 Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line99 of Figure 7 and Figure 10 is a horizontal, sectional view, taken onthe line 10-10 of Figure 7.

The apparatus embodying this invention is adapted to be installed upon amotion picture apparatus having upper and lower reel compartments 10 and11, and an intermediate compartment 12, adapted for the reception of theusual film operating mechanism. The apparatus includes a reservoir 13,adapted for the reception of a fire extinguishing liquid; and alsoincludes a cartridge holder and cartridge puncturing mechanism 14, whichpuncturing mechanism is adapted to be automatically actuated, when afire occurs, to puncture the cartridge and release its contents into thereceptacle 13, whereby the liquid contents of the receptacle is forcedout through a suitable pipe line 15 to various parts of the motionpicture apparatus.

The receptacle 13, which is adapted for the reception of the fireextinguishing liquid, is mounted upon the film compartment 10 by asuitable bracket 17 and is provided at its upper end with a neck 18,having a filling passage 19 and a valve seat 20, which is adapted forthe reception of a valve 21, the stem of which is provided with a handwheel 22-, and is mounted for screw-threaded adjustment in a yoke 23pivotally connected to the neck 18 by screws 24. By this valvearrangement, the receptacle 13 may be readily opened to permit fillingby so rotating the hand wheel 22 as to lift the valve 21 clear of theneck 18, thus permitting the yoke 23 with the valve 21 to be swungoutwardly and downwardly to its dotted line position shown the top.Qthereof where it is connected to the pipe line 15, which includes aplurality pipe line sections 26 from certain c which spray nozzles 27,28 and 29 lead to the upper and lower reel compartments 10 and 11 andthe intermediate compartment 12, the spray nozzles being adapted todirect the fire extinguishing liquid into the respective compartmentswhere a film conflagration is most likely to occur or to where suchconfiagration is likely to spread.

The cartridge holder and cartridge puncturing mechanism, shown in detailin Figures 7 to 10, 14 is suitably supported adjacent the upper reelcompartment 10, and includes a barrel 31 within which is confined acompression spring 32, the lower end of which engages the bottom of aremovable screw-threaded cap 33 carried by the barrel 31, and the upperend of which engages an impact hammer 34, slidably mounted within thebarrel 31. Within this impact hammer 34 is slidably mounted a rod 35,the upper end of which is provided with a flange 36 and a piercing punch37, which projects through a stuffing box 38, mounted in the lower endof a housing 39. The impact hammer 34 is provided at its lower end withan annular groove, which forms a shoulder 40 adapted to cooperate with atrigger latch 41, mounted in one of a pair of diametrically opposedslots 43 for-med in the barrel 31, the trigger 41 being normally urgedinwardly by a flat spring 44, secured to the barrel 31 and maintained inengagement with the trig- 'er 41 at a point adjacent the outwardly projecting notched arm 45 thereof. The tri ger 41, when positioned as shownin Figure is adapted to hold the impact hammer 34 inits retractedposition against the pressure of the spring 32, and is adapted torelease such hammer when a fire occurs, as will hereinafter heexplained, so as to allow the hammen 34 to move into engagement with theflange 36, thus forcing the punch 37 upwardly and through one end of acartridge 47 which is removably seated in a cartridge cup 48 and carriesa quantity of liquefied gas, such as carbon dioxide. The cartridge cup48 is provided with a reduced screw-threaded end which is threaded intothe upper end of the housing 39, and is maintained in engagement with apacking ring 49 seated upon the upper or flanged end of the stuffing box38. The stuffing box 38 is counter-bored to provide a pressure chamber51, into which projects the neck of the cartridge 47, which issurrounded and gripped by the packing ring 49, the pressure chamber 51being connected with the upper end of the receptacle 13 by a pipe 52.

The cartridge 47 is held in its seated position by a pressure screw 53having screwthreaded engagement with the cross member of a yoke 54, thearms of which are pivotally connected at their lower end to thehousirlgg 39 by a pair of pins 55. When it is desi to remove thecartridge 47 to permit replacement thereof, the pres-sure screw 53 isunscrewed until it is free from the cartridge 47, whereupon the yoke 54may be swung about its pivotal connection with the housing 39 to itsdotted line position shown in Figure 8. As the yoke is thus swung aboutits pivotal connect1on, a pair of guides 56, which are slidably mountedin the slots 43 and are connected to the yoke 54 by a pair of links 57,are moved downwardl These guides 56 are provided with inwardlyprojecting lugs 58 which are adapted to engage the upper end of theimpact hammer 34, after such hammer has been released from its retractedposition, shown in Figure 7. It will thus be appreciated that themovement of the yoke 54 which permits the removal of a dischargedcartridge, may be utilized to reset the impact hammer 34 preparatory tosubstitutin a new cartridge for the one previously disc arged. In thepipe line 15 is arranged a normally closed valve 59 which includes ahousing 64, having a chamber 50 therein, within which is carried alongitudinally movable valve plunger 42. This valve plunger 42 is formedat one end with a valve tip 42 adapted to engage a valve seat formed inthe wall of the valve housing 64 at the outlet end of the pipe linesection 26 leading into the chamber 50 from the reservoir 13. The otherend of the valve plunger 42 projects through the bottom of the housing64 and is formed with an annular flange 42' adapted to engage the bottomof the housing 64 and thereby limit the longitudinal movement of thevalve plunger 42 as such valve plunger moves by gravity and under theinfluence of the fire extinguishing liquid coming through the pipesection 26 when a fire occurs, to open the outlet end of the pipe linesection 26 leading into the chamber 50 from the reservoir 13. The valveplunger 42 is normally held closed by a V- shaped valve retaining spring65, one arm of which engages the lower end of the valve plunger and theother arm of which is secured to the bottom of a flash-pan or cage 60.This flash-pan 60 is preferably perforated and is pivotally connected toa suitable support, such as the housing 64 of valve 59, and is adaptedfor the reception of a quantity of gun cotton, not shown, or otherhighly inflammable material, which is ignited by the passage of a flamefrom the compartment 12 through an opening 62 formed therein, it beingin this compartment that the film ignites from the heat of the lightrays issuing from the light projector 63 of the motion pictureapparatus.

For locking the pan 60 in its normal position, a fusible link 66 isemployed, the link being supported at one end by a pin 67, carried by asuitable fixed part of the apparatus,

and supported at its other end upon one end of a horizontally disposedarm 68-, which is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to asuitable stationary support. The arm 68 is pivotally connected at itsouter end to a connecting link. 69, which in turn is pivotally connectedto a trigger releasing lever 70, pivotally connected near its upper endto the barrel '31 and having its upper end projectr ing into the notchedarm 45 of the trigger 41.

Cooperating with the fusible link 66 is a re- 7 movable pin 72-.carriedby one side of the flash-pan 60 and adapted to be projected into thespace afl'orded intermediate the upper and lower reaches of the fusiblelink. Due to the osition of the .pin 72 with reference to the usiblelink 66, such link serves to retain 74 (Figure 1 the flashan. 60normally in its position shown in igure 4. However, when the link 66 isfused, the supporting relation of such link with respect to the pin 72is destroyed,

and the flash-pan 60 is allowed to drop, thus permitting the valve 59 toopen by gravitg and allowing the horizontally disposed lin 69 tomove tothe left, as viewed in Figures 1 and 5, under the influence of a tensionspring having one end connected to such link and its other end anchoredto a stationary part of the apparatus. 7 As the link 69 is thus moved,the lever 70 is so actuated as to move the trigger 41 outwardly, therebyreleasing the impact hammer 34, whereupon the spring. 32 forces itagainst the flange 36 on the rod'35, with sufiicient impact to force thepointed end of the piercing punch 37 through'the bottom of the cartridge47 As the cartridge is pierced, its contents escapes into the chamber 51as a gas under pressure compartment 12.

The neck 18 ofthe receptacle 13 is formed with a vent passage 77 whichterminates at the valve seat 20. This vent passage 77 is maintained incommunication with the pipe line '15 by an anti-siphon tube 76. Inasmuchas the vent passage 77 terminates at the valve seat 20, the pipe line 15is opened to the atmosphere by opening the valve 21. Therefore, when thevalve 21 is opened to free the receptacle 13 of pressure when theapparatus has been accidentally operated, for example, by the breakingof the fuse link 66 in the absence of a fire, opening of the pipe line15 to the atmosphere is insured. By thus opening the pipe line 15 to theatmosphere, any liquid remaining in the receptacle 13, after thepressure has been released therefrom by opening the valve 21 to preventforced operation of the apparatus, cannot be siphoned stantly stopped.

out through the pipe line 15, inasmuch as such liquid as remains thereinintermediate the highest point in such line and the lowermost thereof,is permitted to drain, without disturbing the remaining contents. of there- .ce tacle. i

11 case of a fire, the motor 78, employed for operating the film movingmechamsm of the picture projectin apparatus should be ino accomplishthis, an auxiliary switch80 (Fi re 6) is disposed in the motor circuit,in add ition to a main switch, not shown. This auxiliary switch 80 maybe of the usual double-.push-button type, with the circuit-openin button81 of which is associated a cylin or 82, containing a slidably mountedpiston 83. The piston 83 is adapted to engage the push button 81 andmove it inwardly when gas pressure from the cartridge is delivered tothe outer end of the pressure chamber 82, through a pipe 84 which issuitably connected to the pipe 52 and is thus in communication with thepressure chamber 51. From this arrangement, it will be appreciated thatwhen the cartridge 47 is punctured, pressure will be supplied to thepressure chamber 82, with the result that the piston 83 carried thereinis so moved as to force the push button 81 inwardly, thereby opening themotor circuit through the auxiliary switch 80.

In operation, should a" fire occur in the compartment 12, the flame'will ass through the opening 62 adjacent the ash-pan 60, with theresult that the gun cotton or other highly inflammable material carriedby such pan will become ignited, and the link 66 will be fused. When thelink 66 fuses, the flashpan 60 will drop by gravity, thus allowing thevalve 59 in the pipe line 26' to open. The

instant the fuse link 66 separates, the connecting link 69 is moved bythe action of the spring 74 towards the left, as viewed in Figures 1, 5and 7, with the result that the trig ger 41 is disengaged from theimpact hammer 34, whereupon such hammer, acting un der the influence ofthe compression spring 32, delivers a blow to the guide rod 35 andthereby forces the piercing punch 37 through the wall of the cartridge47. As the cartridge 47 is punctured, its contents is delivered to thepressure chamber 51 as a gas under pressure, and thence into thereceptacle 13 through the pipe 52. The pressure so delivered to thereceptacle 13, forces the contents of such receptacle up through thedischarge tube 25 and into-the pipe line 15, from which it is injectedinto the compartments 10, 11 and 12 to extinguish the fire. Of course itis obvious that the carbon dioxide contents of the cartridge, whenreleased, first expels the fire extinguishing liquid from the receptacle13, and then passes through the pipe line '15 into the compartments 10,11 and 12 where it serves as a fire extinguishing gas augmenting theaction of the previously delivered fire extinguishing liquid. In themeantime, gas under pressure delivered to the cylinder 82 serves to movethe piston 83 towards the left, as viewed in Figure 6, and thereby openthe motor circuit through the auxiliary switch 80 at substantially theinstant the fire occurs.

After the fire has been extinguished, the receptacle 13 may be re-filledby removing the valve 21 from its valve seat 20 and swinging the sametoits dotted line position in Figure 3. The receptacle 13 is then closedby swinging the valve to its vertical position and screwing gagementwith cartridge 47 may be readily removed leasin the pressure screw 53and swinging the yoke 54 to its dotted line position, shown in Fi re 8.In swin ing the yoke 54 to its dotte line position s own in Figure 8,the guides 56 are moved downwardly Within their respective slots 43 andserve to reset the impact hammer 34, as shown in' Figure 7. Afterreplacing the cartridge 47, the yoke 54 is moved to its verticalposition, and the pressure screw 53 is then run down into engagementwith such cartridge, thereby looking the same in position for use.

Of course, before inserting the new cartridge and setting the puncturingdevice, the link 69 is locked in its retracted position by placing a newfuse link 66 on the end of the pin 67 and the end of the lever 68, asshown in Figures i and 5. With the link 66 so positioned, the flash-pan60 may be locked in its normal position, shown in Figures 1 and 4, bypassing the pin 72 through one of the side walls of such pan and intothe space afforded between the upper and lower reaches of the fuse link.The flash-pan in its locked position cooperates with the valve retainingspring '65 and thereby serves to hold the valve 59 closed.

While only one form of the invention has been herein shown anddescribed, it will be understood that various modifications and its seat20. The discharged by re- 'chan es may be resorted to without departingrom the spirit of the invention or the scggglof the following claim.

at is claimed is: In combination with a motion picture projector havinga film housing provided with an opening, a cage highly inflammablematerial, fusible thermal release means for holding said cage in asuspended position and adapted when fused to release said cage, a liquidreceptacle adapted to contain a fire extinguishing liquid, a conduitleading from said receptacle into said housing, a valve in said conduitcooperating with said cage and retained closed by the latter when saidcage is in its suspended position and permitted to open when said cageis removably mounted adja- 1 cent said opening and adapted to contain aleased, a source of fluid pressure, means for releasin said fluidressure and directing it into sai rece tacle or expelling the contentsof the latter t rough said conduit, and means cooperating with saidthermal release means for rendering said fluid releasing meansinoperative until said hermal release means is fused.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

PETER GRAHAM MACGREGOR.

the same down into sealing en-

